Milestones - what do they mean, signify, define? I don't have the answers but I do have a perspective to consider. This year, I'll be rounding a milestone birthday and I'm looking at the occassion simply as something I've never done before (and will never do again). To celebrate this milestone year, my aim is to do at least 52 Never B4 things -- some big, some small but all within week-to-week reality. Care to join me?

September 08, 2008

Twitter Me Timbers!

On Tuesday, September 9th when the 8am train pulls into the Harlem 125th Street Station, I will begin my first Twitter Novel and on Friday, September 12th at exactly 6:36pm, I'll finish it.

As you've probably noticed, I like to write. Yet, the idea of writing a novel just plain intimidates me. Keeping the characters straight, the plot aligned and my own momentum going is just too daunting of a task. A Twitter Novel, on the other hand, tempts me because the Twitter messaging service limits each entry to 140 characters (yes, characters not words) and I'm limiting my writing time to my morning and evening train commute over the next 4 days only. The best part of all though, is the story will take place in real time. So, if you're up at 8am tomorrow, you can start reading my novel as it happens (on your cell phone or on the web). The story will unfold in sporadic bursts throughout my 49-minute morning ride, then develop further on my commute home in the evening and continue on each subsequent train ride this week.

The story began tonight when I read this flyer:

Tomorrow I will be wearing the requested red shirt and I'll seek out a seat on the second to last car on the 8am Southeast train, as instructed. I have no idea what the author of this flyer has in store for all of us on that car but I'll soon find out and I'll keep you all posted on the drama as it unfolds.

I hope you'll follow me on Twitter just in case this adventure gets dangerous. To follow me, you'll need to create a Twitter account which takes 15 seconds and it's free (click hereif you first want to watch a short video on how Twitter works). Then simply look for my username: Neverb4. I'll also send email invites to everyone that I have in my address book which should make things a bit easier for you to find me.

Wish me luck! Oh and don't worry if you don't catch the adventure right at the beginning tomorrow at 8am. You can catch up at any time by logging onto Twitter and looking for my Neverb4 username.

I'd like to say a special thanks to Marci Alboher whose blog Shifting Careers motivated me to create my own Twitter account today (another Never b4) and inspired me to attempt a Twitter Novel.